Sorting machine



Sept. 4, 1928., 1,683,249

A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE Filed March 27, 1925 l 16 Sheets-Sheet l sept. 4, 1928 1,683,249

f A. F. HANNEY j SORTING MACHINE Filed March?, 1925 1e sheets-,sheet 2 Sept., 4, 1928.

A. F. HANNEY SORTlNG MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 27, 1925 sept., 4, m28, 1,683,249v

A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE f Filed March 27 1925 l6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 4, 1928.

A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 27, 1925 Sept. 4, 1928. 1,683,249

Y A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE Sept. 4, 1928.

A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 sept. 4, 192s.

Filed March 27, 1925 J1@ Jg A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 Sept. 451928. 1,683,249

' A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE Filed March 27, 1925 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 "7. l ver spt. 4, 192s. 1,683,249; A

A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE Filled March 27, 1925 1e Sheets-sheet 41o Sept. 4, 1928. 1,683,249

l A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE Filed March 27, 1925 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 Sept. 4, i928.

A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE Filed March 27, 1925 1G Sheets-Sheet l5 sept. 4, 192s. 1,683,249 A' A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE Filed March 27, 1925 '1"' 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 lig 175 Sept. 4, 1928.

A. F. HANNEY SORTING MACHINE Filed March 27, 1925 16 Sheets-Sheet l5 Sept. 4, 1928.

A. F. HANNEY soRTING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed March 27, 1925 a?. W f5 dgwlz.

Patented Sept. 4., l928.

- Unirse stares ANGUS 1i'. HANNEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GAMVIELL-HANNEY MFG. CO.,

insane OF CHCAGO, ELLINOIS.

son'rrive. MACHINE.

Application filed. March 27, 19254 Serial No. 18,669. y

My invention relates to improvements in sorting machines, and has i'or its object the provision of an improved machine of this character especially adapted for use in laundries and arranged vto sort automatically commingled articles such as laundry articles.

fr further obj ect ot' the invention is to provide such an improved machine which will also automatically sort and detach laundry or markers employed to identity the laundried articles.

Gtlier objects Will appear hereinafter.

T he invention consists of the combinations and arrangcn'ients of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

1 The invention will be best understood by reference yto the accompanying (ilraivings forming part of the specification and in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation ott' a machine embodying the invention; l 1

Fig. 2 is a partial top plan vieiv of the same;

F ig. 3 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 3-3 o'f Fig. 2; l'

Fig. l is an enlarged section taken substantially on line lz- 4 of Fig. 2;

F 5 is an enlarged vsection ltaken substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. G is a top plan view of one ot three travelling carriages employed in the machine;

Fig. 7' is a detail view of a laundry tagor marker employed in conjunction with the machine Fi 8 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 8 8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section taken. substantially on 'line 9-9 of Fig. 2;l

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a side vieiv corresponding with view 10;

Fig. 12 is a section taken substantially on line 12-12 o' Fig. 8;

Fig. 13 isa section taken substantially on line 13-13 of Fig. 8;

Cil

Fig. 14 is a detail view of an index plate F ig. v17 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 17-17 of Fig. 15;

Figs. 18 to 26 inclusive are detail views of the upper portions ot different laundry tags or markers employed in conjunction With'the machine. i

Fig. l27 is av section taken substantially on line 27,-21' oit Fig. 3; y F 28 is a partial detail top plan view lof o ne o f the travelling carriages shoWnin position just preparatory to discharge ofa laundried article and tagl and associated parts;

Fig. 29 is ain enlarged section taken substantially on line 29-29 of Fig. 2S;

Fig. 30 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 30 30 ot' Fig. 2;

F 81 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 31-i1 of Fig. 30;

Fig. is a section taken substantially on line 3s- 32 of F ig. 3l; 1 l,

Fig. 33 is an enlarged section stantially on line 35S-33 oit Fig. 2;

Fig. 34- is a view takensubstantially on line of Fig. 33; v i

taken sub- Fig. 35 is al section taken substantially on line 35--35 or Fig. 30;

Fig. 3G is a section taken substantially on line 36 36 of Fig. 35;

Fig. 37 is a section taken substantially on line 87-37- of Fig. 85 ;A

Fig. is a section taken .substantially on 1in@ se @if Fig. a7; f

Fig. 39 a top plan view taken substantially on line 39-39 of Fig. 33;

Fin'. l0 is z, Fig of);

l h..flfl is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 411-11 of Fig, 2; Y

Fig. 42 is a section taken substantially on line 42H42 oit Fig. 41; y

Fig. a?) is an enlarged section. taken substantially on line cl3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. a is a section taken substantiallyon line 114-44- o't Fig. 3; and

Fig. '4:5 is a detail view of a swinging arm and detent employed in the mechanism illust-rated in Fig. t. I

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a suitable frame mounted on adjustable legs or standards 51 whereby said :trame 50 may be readily adjusted into level `position at a considerable distance above the floor oi the room in which the machine is mounted.

section taken on line ZlO-lO of l As best illustrated in Figs. 2 and -3 the machine is driven by an electric motor 52 having its shaft 53 extended into a gear box 54 containing a usual arrangement of vreducing gears for driving the shaft 55 at a very much reduced speed. The shaft 55 is connected by a sprocket chain 56 with. a shaft 57 which constitutes the main or master driving shaft of the machine and whereby the shaft 57 is driven at a comparatively slow speed by the motor 52. The motor 52 and the gear box 54 are mounted on a tilting frame 58 pivoted on a cross-bar v59 of the machine frame. At its rear endv the frame' 5.8 is connected by means of an adjustable link arrangement 60 with the cross-bar 61 of the machine frame and whereby the frame 58 may be adjusted to tighten or loosen the sprocket chain 56 as desired.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the shaft 57 carries two adjacent grooved driving pulleys or wheels 62 and two parallel steel cables 63 are extended over the pulleys 62 and also over corresponding pulleys 64 mounted on a counter-shaft 65 at the extreme front of the machine, said cables 63 thus extending substantially through the lengt-h of the machine at one side thereof as shown and constituting` in substance and effect an endless travelling conveyor. Adjusting screws 57 are provided in association with the bearings for shaft 57 whereby said shaft 57 may be adjusted to tighten the cables 63.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 8, shaft 65 is mounted in a bearing block 66 slidable on a frame 67 which is pivoted on trunnions 68 on the main frame of the machine. Adjusting screws 69 are also carried bythe frame 67 and rest against a yoke or hanger 70 of the main frame of the machine and whereby the shaft 65 may be nicely adjusted anguljarly. An adjusting screw 71 is threaded on a block 72 on the frame 67 and rests against the rear side of the bearing block 66 and whereby the i shaft 65 may be nicely adjusted in the frame 67. The cables carry three travelling carriages 7 3 best illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 9, said carriages being provided on their upper sides with sleeves or sockets V74 which are welded or otherwise secured to said cables 63 and said carriages being equally spaced on Vsaid cables so as to travel continuously through said machine at substantially equal distances apart, t-he adjustments for shaft 65 permit-ting of delicate adjustments of the paths of travel of these carriages.

As best illustrated in Figs. 2, 8, 12 and 13, the shaft 65 is extended laterally and provided with a spiral gear 75 meshing with a spiral gear 76 on a vertical shaft 77 which in turn carries a spur gear 78 meshing with an idler gear 79 meshing with a spur gear 80 loosely mounted on a vertical shaft 81 and whereby the gear will be constantly driven by the shaft 65 during the normal operations of the machine. The gear 79 is carried by a stud shaft 82 which is adjustable in a slot 83 in a bar of a yoke 84 mounted on the main frame, whereby if desired, gears of different sizes may be substituted for the. gears 78 and 7 9 and thus the speed of the gear 80 varied. The gear 80 carries an integral sleeve 85 having a clutch member 86 splined or feathered thereon. The clutch member 86 is operative- Vly connected with a bifurcated rocker arm 87 and attached to a rocker shaft 88 mounted in a hanger 89 and secured to the stationary shaft 81 of the machine. The rocker shaft 88 also carries avertically extending rocker arm 90 engaging a compression spring 91 and whereby the clutch 86 is normally held in elevated position on a sleeve 85. The rocker shaft 88 also carries a detent 92 arranged to engage one or the other of two 4diametrically arranged notches 93 in the upper outer edges of a `rotating head 94, said detent 92 thus serving to lock said head 94 in one or the other of its different positions of rest. The rocker shaft 88 also carries another rocker arm 95 having its outer end set in the path of cam blades 96 carried by the carriages 73, said cam blades operating as the carriages pass the rocker arm to elevate said rocker arm, thus rocking the shaft 88 to raise the detent 92 out of the corresponding notch 93 and thus release the head 94 for rotation. The head 94 carries aclutch member 97 co-operating with the clutch member 86, said clutch member 86 being also depressed by the elevation of the rocker arm 95 by the cam blade 96 so that when the detent 92 is arranged to release the 'head 94 the clutch member 86 is engaged to retain the head 94, the cam blade 96 being shaped to hold the clutch 86 in engagement with the clutch 97 until the head 94 has made substantially 'one-half a revolution and brought the opposite notch 93 into engagement with the detent 92 thus relooking the head 94 in position after a complete one-half revolution. The head 94 carries two radiating arms 98 secured to its underside and each carrying at its outer end a block 99 shown in det-ail in Figs. 10 and 11. Each of the blocks 99 carries a central pin 100 resting between two spring-held clamning aws 101, said clamping aws being provided with inclined or bevelled noses 102 and with rounded locking shoulders 103, said clamping jaws being normally pressed together by means of compression sprino 104. The pin is adapted and arranged to pass through a central opening 105 provided in a metallic laundry tag o r marker 106 best shown in detail in Fig. 7.

This laundry tag or marker is provided with a penetrating pin 107 co-operating with a pivoted holder 108 held in place'by a springheld detent 109 traversing the lowerv portion of the opening 1.05 and whereby depression of the detent 109 releases the holder 108 to discharge a laund'ried article from 'the tag or marker. r)The specific form of tag or marker illustrated old and well-known for the purpose, having been devised by myself for this purpose and needs no further description here. The upper portion of the laundry tag provided with a central opening 110 pro vided with a laundry notch 111 and side notches 112 are also provided on opposite sides of the opening 110. rl`liese laundry tags provided with various forms for their upper some of which are illustrated in Figs. 18 to 26 inclusive. The upper edge 118 constitutes an active or operating cam edge operating in the machine to control the same. The upper edge may be provided with notches 11d and depressions 115 whereby the contour or shape or form of the upper active edge of the tag may be v aried almost infinitely. Likewise the position of the notch 111 may be varie-d as indicated, to effect structural and function l, dilferences between the tags.

index head 11 is aojustably mounted i the bolt and slot connection 117 with .une of the machine to occupy a position immediate`v above thc outer position of rest of the blocl-s 19 when caused to revolve by cani blade 95 on the different carriages Z3 as expliined above. The indes: head 11G carries an indicator shaft 118 having a spline or rey 119 adapted to lit a notch 111 in the laundry 10G. rllie shaft 118is provided with an indicator finger 120 cri-operating with a lettered dial 121. rllhc shaft 118 is spring-held plunger 128 adapted to engage soelzets arranged opposite the letters on the dial 121 and whereby said shaft 118 and pai'ticularl7 the hey 119 may be adjusted to correspond Yith the angular positions of the "rs on the dial. O viously when so adjusted a laundrj,vv tag 106 to be capable of being placed over the pin 100 and the shaft o i have its notch 111 angularly positioed the same as the feather or key 119 so l Yt by adj usting the indicator 120 as desired l I tclies 111 be placed in position on pin ls" "t 118 moet a fr `1 d ano nais 111e tags are uinisiie` groups or l ts, each lot being distinguished in other lots by the position of the notch 12 so that only the tags of the particular lot i aced in position on the pin. 100. The tags eac i lot are further separated into groups tied by the notches 114 or depressions n their upper edges or by plaiiivupper as indicated in Fig. 18, the tags in each such group being allotted to an individual customer of the laundry. ln the usual Vpractice in laundries the Work is done in batches or lots containing the articles of about fifty customers and tags distinguished by the position of the notch 112 are provided for each of such batches or lots. Thus for example, the tags for all of the articles in the batch or lot s"ged by means of an arm 122 carrying aA i y tags having correspondingly positionedV termed 1) Would-be provided With notches 111 arranged as indicated in Fig. 2-1 which, as `:fill be noted, corresponds with the position of the letter D on the dial 116, so that when the indicator 120 is adjusted to 'point to the letter D on the dial '116, only tags having notches positionedas in Fig. 2st can be .placed in position on pin 100, othertags not being capable of passing over sha-155118.' In this Way confusion of the various batches or lots of laundry is avoided and should an varticle from another batch or lot become accidently misplaced, itivillbe at once detected by the operator of the machine due to the fact that the tag ensue-h article cannot be placed over the'shaft'118. ris indicated iii Fig. 18 the upper' edges 118 of some of the tags are left blank. r1`hat is, Without even depressions 115 or notches 1111-, it being possible and-feasible to distinguish one group or lot in this manner and such a method of distinguishing has also been provided for on the dial'116 as shown. i y

The diversity of tagsand particularly of groups or batches of tags may be further augmented by sli glitlychan ging the character of the indicating dial. Such arrangement has been indicated in F ig. 16 iv iei'e the indicator dial 11G is provided with a shafty 118 having a different formof feather or spline 119,, it being intended that the notchesA 111 inthe laundry tags be shaped to correspond. It is apparent that variousotlier forms and conigurations ofthe notch 111 andtheopening 110 could be resorted to further distinguish thetags and permit of the employment of a larger variety of groups or batches Without cause separation of the spring clamping jaws` 101 due to the action of the bevelled surfaces 102 and causing the tag to be engaged behind fthe rounded shoulders 10S thus Itemporarily loclring`-the tag in position on the block 99. mmediately thereafter tli'ecam blade 9G on one of the vcarriages"engages the rocker arm 95 and causes rotation of lthe head 94 and blocks 99 through a half revolution, thus'causing the block 99 Carrying said tag and laundrie'd article to assume posit-ion on the opposite side of the shaft 81 and With the upper portion of the tag inthe path of the next vsucceeding carriage 73. shown in Fig. 6 eaolirof the carriages- 73 is provided with a central forward recess 125v of a size to receive the upper portion of said tag. SprinoV clamping jaivs 126are arranged on eachV carriage and normally pressed to-V As best the notches 112 in the tag as thecarriage moves rearwardly. The clamping jaws 126 yield outwardly to permit the passage of the tag between'then'i, being provided with inclined surfaces 128 for this purpose. When the upper portion of said tag thus passes into the forward endv of the recess it passes into notches 129 provided for holding the same against an abutment 106 arranged at the end of the recess, said abutment serving to exert sufficient force on the tag to torce it from between the spring jaws 101 of the head 99, the rounded shoulders 103 of the clamping jaws 101 causing said jaws 101 to yieldout-wardly to release the tag. Thus said tag and the laundried articles supported thereby is removed from the head 99 and transferred to the corresponding carriage 73. To facilitate theV accurate positioningof the tag on the carriage, inclined guide surfaces 126 are arranged on the carriage to contact with the upper side portions of the tag thus guiding said tag to central position as will be readily understood and insuring the carrying of the tags always in the same position by the carriage. Each carriage is provided with grooves 130, bestl shown in Fig. 9 arranged and adapted to engage over the edges of a lower guide track or bar 131 supported. on brackets 132 in the lower rearward path of the cariages4 73. An upper track or guideway 133 is also provided to guide the lorward inverted movements of the carriages 73. By this arrangement the accurate rearward travel of thecarriages 73 is insured to insure accurate engagement and removal of the tags from the blocks 99.

As best shown in Fig. 9 a signal flap 134 of leather or the like is mounted on the end of a bent lever 135 to restnormally immediately above the pin 100 and shaft 118 when in position to receive the laundry tags as above explained. The lever 135 is pivoted at 136 on a part of the bracket 84 and a tension spring 137 normally holds said lever with flap 134 elevated. of the lever 135 is set in the path of the cam blade 96 on the carriages 73 and theV arrangement is such that just before the cam-blade 96 strikes the rocker arm 95 the inner end ot the lever 135 is elevated to depress the flap 134 downwardly trent ot' the pin 10() and shaft 11-8, thus serving as a warning to the operator that the head 99 is about to swing and giving the operator time to avoid injury therefrom.

As best shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 43, laterally extending hangers 138 are extended from l The inner end 135 tion of the machine. Three of these discharge stations are illustrated in the dawings as they are all substantially identical with each other but it is to be understood that a completed machine for practical use in a laundry ot considerable size will contain a large number of these discharge stat-ions, usually about titty.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 4, 30 and each of the plates 139 has associated with it a corresponding guide block 14() mounted centrally on top of track 131 opposite the central portion of each plate 139. Each guide block 140 carries a vertically reciprocating plunger' 141 having a spring cushioned plug 142 in its upper end contacting with the underside of the track 133, as best shown in Fig. 37.

As best shown in Fig. 3.8 each plunger 141 is rectangular in cross sectionv and is provided with four Cylindrical parallel tumbler sockets 143 adapted and arranged to contain four cylindrical plungers or tumblers 144 vresting against corresponding compression springs 144. Eacn guide block 140 is provided with registering openings adapted to contain corresponding cylindrical tumbler blocks 145 and the tumbler blocks 145 contact with operating leaves or blades 146 pivoted at 147 and provided with cam surfaces 148 extending through slots 149 in the track 131. As will be observed this arrangement constitutes a tumbler lock arrangement for holding each plunger 141 in elevated position. As long as the tumbler blocks 144 cross the dividing line between the plunger 141 and the guide block 140 the plunger 141 is locked against depression. However, as soon as the blades 146 are elevated sufficiently to cause the meeting lines between the blocks 145 and the blocks 144 to register with the dividing line between the plunger 141 and the guide block 140, the plunger 141 is released and will be forced downwardly by the spring plug 142. This constitutes a combination l ck mechanism l'or holding the plunger-s 141 in elevated positions operable bythe leaves 146. It will be noted that when the leaves 146 are elevated proper distances, the lock will be released and thus the plunger 141 released for downward movement. A bevelled recess 150 is provided in plunger 141 above each ot the sockets 143 and a registering recess 151 is provided in guide block 140 opposite each recess 150, said recesses facilitating the operation of the plunger-s as above described. It' one ot' the tumblers 145 `is thrown a little too far to the rear nevertheless the plunger 141 will operate and the bev` elled portion of recess 150 will torce the tumbler 145 back to proper position as the plunger descends. Likewise the reces. tends to release the binding on the tumblers and permit slight inaccuracy of the parts. Each plunger 141 is provided at its lower end with a cylindrical cam block or head 152 projecting lib 

